Boot-tree



(No Model.)

W. H. FARNHAM.

BOOT TREE. No. 436,079. Patented Sept. 9-, 1890.

Y last can be advantageously used in the makrabbet, and has been provided with a nut or 7 UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. FARNI-IAM, OF S BOOT- TONEHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,079, dated September 9, 18 90.

' Application filed August 27, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. FARNHAM, of Stoneha1n,in the countyof Middlesex, and in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot- Lasts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference .being had to the' accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my improved boot-last; Fig. 2, a vertical central section of the same on line a: x of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail perspective view of the parts of the last separated, so as to show the connecting means.

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in boot-lasts; and to this end my invention consists in the bootlast and in the means for detachably fastening the parts of the last together, as hereinafter specified.

My invention relates especially to lasts for making rubber boots, though my improved ing of other boots.

In the lasts for rubber boots as heretofore made and used the leg and heel portion have been made in one piece with a rabbet 011 the forward side of its lower end to receive the rear portion of the foot part of the last. Such rabbet has been made with an upright rear wall and with its upper or overhanging side substantially at a right angle to the rear wall. The foot portion of the last has been correspondingly shaped to fit this recess or block with threaded hole to be engaged by the threaded end of a screw-rod, which extended through the leg portion of the last and had a turning head on its upper end. \Vith the last made in this way when it was being put together the screw-rod had to be turned until the top of the foot portion of the last was pulled up against the top of the recess or rabbet in the leg portion. This screwing essary subsequent unscrewing to remove the last from the boot were slow operations, consuming much time. The difficulty of making the'screw end properly enter the threaded nut was also to be encountered. With any wear of the parts it was difficult, also, to insure such a tight and smooth joint between Serial No. 283,880. (No model.)

the two parts of the last as is desirable. In order to avoid all these objections to the'bootlasts as heretofore made, I have. devised the last and connecting or fastening devices for the parts thereof, as will be described an shown hereinafter.

' In the drawings, A designates the leg and heel portion of the last, and B the foot portion thereof. These two parts of the last are divided, not by a cut in two directions at right angles to each other, as heretofore, but on a transverse plane extending at an angle downward and rearward, as shown in the drawings. The dividing-cut begins at or a little above the point where the curve of the instep-top joins the line of the front of the leg portion of the last, so that there will be no forwardly-extending lip or portion on the leg part of the last to interfere with its withdrawal from a boot.

Extending rearward from the inclined face on the foot part of the lastis a tongue or block 13, and in the corresponding face of the other part of the last is a correspondingly-shaped recess A to receive and fit the tongue.

The sides of the tongue and recess arepreferably made vertical, as indicated in the drawings.

4 The top of the block and recess are shown as arched or rounded; but I do not limit myself to such construction. I prefer it',fhowever, as giving, with the straight-sided tongue and recess, the firmest and steadiest bearing to prevent any side movement or play of the parts of the last with reference to each other.

As the rounded upper end of the tongue is drawn up against the correspondingly-shaped upper end of recess A, the foot part of the last will necessarily be drawn into proper central position with reference to the recessed in clined face of the leg part of the last.

The tongue B can beformed on or madein one piece with the foot part of the last; but, as indicated in the drawings, I prefer to make it separately and then attach it in place in any desired way, as by pins 17 b, passing through a projecting portion 1)" of the tongue.

In the top of the tongue or projecting block B is a slot or opening 12 adapted to admit the passage of a cross-head O on the lower end of the rod 0, extending up through the leg portion of the last. The slot b corresponds in shape with the cross-head-provided end of the rod, so as to let such cross-head be passed down through it when the rod is in one posi-' tion,but to prevent its passage when the rod is turned through a quarter-turn.

Below its slotted top the tongue B is provided with an opening or under-cut to allow the turning of the rod cross-head after it has been passed down through slot 12 The upper end of the rod 0 is provided with a ring or other piece 0 by which it can be moved longitudinally and rotated as desired. Below this ring or turning head the rod is threaded, as shown at c, and upon this threaded portion is the thumb-nut 0 provided with the usual wings, by which it can be turned quickly to screw it up or down on the rod.

On the top of the last, in position to be engaged by the under side of the thumb-nut, is the bearing-plate 0 up through which the rod passes.

I contemplate providing the upper end of the recess A with a facing of leather or other elastic or semi-elastic material, as indicated at a, for the top of the tongue 13' to be drawn up against when the parts of the last are fastened together. This yielding facing on the seat for the upper end of the tongue 13 allows the parts of the last to be drawn together, so

that their abutting faces shall be forced most closely in contact with each other.

My last, constructed as shown and described, can be most quickly made up or put together for making a boot. The two parts are brought together with the tongue B entering the recess H, and the rod 0 is turned to bring its cross-head G into position to be passed down through the undercut slot in the tongue 13'. After the rod end and head have been passed down through said slot the rod is given a quarter-turn, so that its crosshead cannot pull up through the slot. The two parts of the last can then be quickly drawn firmly together by turning the thumbnut C to screw it down on the rod G.

If desired, the two parts of the last can be drawn together quite closely by pulling upon the rod 0. The thumb-nut O can then be turned most quickly to run it down on the rod, and then but a few additional turns of it will be necessary to draw the tongue on the foot part B up into its recess in part A, so as to bring the inclined abutting faces on the two parts most closely together.

When the last is to be withdrawn from a boot, all that it is necessary to do to disconnect the parts of the last is to loosen the thumbnut slightly and then give the rod 0' a quarter-turn to bring the arms of the cross-head on the rod end in line with the slot in the tongue or block B. The leg part of the last is then free to be drawn out by the rod or in any other way.

I have described the rod 0 as being provided with a cross-head; but I do not intend to limit myself to such construction with lugs or arms extending from opposite sides of the rod so as to form together a cross-head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a boot-last, in combination with the leg and foot parts thereof having inclined abutting faces, a rod connected with the foot part and extending up through the leg part and a rotary nut for drawing up the rod screwed on the upper portion of the latter and engaging a bearing on the leg part, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a boot and shoe last, in combination with the leg and foot parts thereof having inclined abutting faces, a tongue on the foot part entering a recess in the leg part, a rod detach-ably connected with the foot part and extending up through the leg part, and a rotary nut for drawing the rod upward screwed on the latter and engaging a bearing on the leg part, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. In a boot-last, in combination with the foot part having the tongue with undercut slot, the leg part provided with the tonguereceiving recess, the rod provided on its lower end with side lugs or arms and having its upper portion threaded, a nut on such threaded portion, and a suitable bearing on the leg part of the last to be engaged by the nut, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

5. In a boot-last, in -combination with the two parts thereof formed with inclined abutting surfaces, the tongue on the foot part ontering a recess in the leg part and provided with an undercut slot, the rotary and reciprocable rod provided with one or more side lugs or arms on its lower end, the nut tapped upon a threaded portion of the rod, and a suitable bearing on the leg part of the last to be engaged by the nut, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of August, 1888.

.WILLIAM H. FARNl-IAM. 

